The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1887-04-21


| 3-14.
It is certainly true that every mar
in the world is largely instrumental
in working out his own destiny. Tht
stones which form the masonry Of the
structure of his character, are the acts
Of the individual. He builds then
step by step, and block by block, ce
menting them with the smooth, firm
cement of moral living, or he throw:
them together in a careless, slipshoc
manner, regardless Of any possible
permanency or durability. The great
Importance Of careful work in thi:
line does not appear, sometimes, unit
it is too late to retrieve the lost oppor
tunity or the fallen life. In the grea
haste of building, we are too otter
prone to hurry along, without plumb
ing the walls or taking correct meas
urements. The result in such cases il
toppling wall, an over-balanced roof
or crooked building. Such struct.
ure becomes derision and song.
The great evil connected with lay
ing out the life work, is haste. Many
a young man falls into the error thai
a dashing, brazen present amounts tc
a great deal more than steady, healthy
growth for the future. Hence they
attempt to ride roughly over all forms
Of courtesy, and even the most COM
mon rules Of propriety. The young
man steps out before the world and
slashes up something which he calls
manhood, and seems astonished that
the world fails to appreciate the beauty
of the thing. First, the foundation
is made of excessively thin material
inflated with wind. Upon this frail
foundation is piled up dainty struct-
ure of conceit, the whole surmounted
by an empty vessel Of small dimen-
sions, thickly coated with brass. This
is the monument presented to the
world as the crowning feature of a
life work. The great fact is lost sight
Of that even the somewhat unpleasant
aroma Of honest sweat is more honor
able in the eyes Of intelligence than
the stencil Of musk or cologne; that
the tattered hat Of the "clod-hopper'
is far more beautiful to the eyes Of the
world than the glistening surface OF
the plug hat; that the smell Of the
meadow field is better and sweetel
than the stencil Of the beer-doggery:
that brains are often found in a barn
yard, and sterling worth beneath the
garb of poverty.
There is one fact in particular that
men should bear in mind-that the
world does not. make many mistakes,
in its estimate Of men. If the young
man who is sowing his wild oats, that
is, acting the idiot, could just realize
that instead of being an object Of won
der and admiration, he is subject of
ridicule, and derisive song, it would
be far better for him, and far more
creditable to human intelligence. II
the young lady would only pause and
think before girding and lacing her.
self into the shape of covered um-
brella, and surmounting her head with
a variegated brush-heap, she would so
arrange her material matters as to be
a handsomer woman, and not be an
object Of derision, but would command
that lofty admiration which is the
right Of every woman.
There is something attainable for
Gods creatures out beyond the donbt-
full experiences Of the present. We
are growing, one way or the other.
We are growing good, or we are grow
ing bad. Not only is the world TAX
ing uote Of our lives, but an all-seeing
watcher is keeping a record thereof,
and it should be the aim of every in
dividual to so live and work, that, after
the record is made and recorded against
the great day, we can stand fearlessly
in the presence of the great Judge,
and listen to the rendering Of his de-
cree. There will be many soul utter,
even before leaving this world, as bit
ter lamentations as ever escaped from
the heart Of the Prophet. That one
who sows in impudence shall reap in
disappointment; that one who gives
the world but trash instead of sterling
worth, will receive proftless return;
that one who builds a structure Of
conceit, Will save only tumbling ruin !;
that one who attempts to gain noto-
riety by criticising the good influences
that are at work among mankind, will
reap a harvest Of contempt; that one
who, through the most vigorous years
OF his or her life, whlles away tue time
in disgusting waywardness, can only
hope for ultimate failure in this world,
and endless sorrow in the world to
come.
The objects of derision are not all
of one class; they embrace every de-
department of human experience, and
every shade of human thought. It
will be a good day in the life of any
man when he resolves that the ridicu-
lous days, for him, are over, and that
he will step out into the light Of in
telligent thought and action, cease be-
ing an object of derision, and be a
man, in the sense in which God in
tap1od he shOuld he